1. Yili’s Absurdist Ad Woos China’s ‘Abstract’-Embracing Gen Z

Chinese milk brand Yili’s campaign responds to Chinese Gen Zers’ propensity for posting absurdist or ‘abstract’ content on social media to question social norms and express frustration about their faltering fortunes (the nation’s highly qualified youth are facing rocketing unemployment – BBC, 2025).

2. Loewe’s Choreographic Lens on Guachao

Spanish luxury brand Loewe’s two-minute film campaign reflects the well-known but evolving-at-pace notion of guochao – ‘national wave’ or ‘China chic’ – a patriotic movement celebrating Chinese culture and style.

3. Uniqlo’s ‘#Feeling of Ease’ Ad Spotlights Everyday Pleasures

Uniqlo’s Wishing You a Happy New Day campaign centred on its LifeWear range (“high-quality, everyday clothing”), embodying the #Feeling of Ease/Relaxation (#松弛感) movement – 9.9 million views on Xiaohongshu (aka Rednote) (Rednote, 2025).

4. Timberland Centres Local Travel & the New Chinese Dream

Tapping into the rising appetite for local travel (car rentals are soaring – see Key Stats) following the fading desire for far-flung post-pandemic travel is US outdoor footwear and apparel brand Timberland’s campaign.

5. Rimowa Heroes Mahjong’s Youth-Led Revival

Brands including German premium luggage brand Rimowa and McDonald’s Singapore tapped into the rising cultural pulling power of tile-based tabletop game (and popular New Year pastime) mahjong.

6. Dover Street Market Taps Mythology of the Mini-Mart

Multi-brand luxury fashion retailer Dover Street Market partnered with British-Taiwanese restaurant Bao London on pop-up mini-marts in its London, Singapore and Ginza (Tokyo) branches, complete with typical colour-blocked, numbered wooden facades. The activation reflects the outsized cultural impact of Asian convenience stores (see America’s New-Gen Asian Cuisine) while echoing the US-specific trend for celebrating the bodega (see The Brief).

7. Balenciaga’s Retro Gaming Push

Exemplifying retro gaming’s current ascension, supercharged by consumers seeking “pre-plugged-in-era joys and early-tech aesthetics (see section 1 in Pop Culture & Media Futures 24/25), Spanish luxury brand Balenciaga’s snake-themed mobile game has wooed Y2K-obsessed Gen Z.